Five residents of Mississippi have now died after contracting COVID-19 coronavirus, including one person in Webster County.
Mississippi State Department of Health reported four people in the state had died from the virus on Wednesday alone.
The cases were a Holmes County man between the ages of 60 and 65; a Webster County man between 65 and 70; a Wilkinson County man between 85 and 90; and a Tunica County woman between 75 and 80. MSDH reported in press releases that all but the Tunica County woman had underlying health conditions.
The first Mississippian to die from the virus was a Hancock County man also in his 60s with underlying health conditions. He died in a Louisiana hospital last week.
MSDH reported Thursday a surge of more than 100 confirmed cases statewide, with 377 on Wednesday growing to 485.
Those numbers include 10 in Oktibbeha County, eight in Lowndes County and one each in Clay and Noxubee counties.
The Mississippi counties with the highest numbers are DeSoto (49) and Hinds (43) counties.
Nationally, there have been more than 69,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 1,000 deaths, according to national media outlets.
Church’s Chicken cited for violating emergency resolution
In Columbus, Church’s Chicken on Main Street faces a $1,000 fine for violating an emergency ordinance passed by the Columbus City Council to help curb the spread of the virus.
Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said the restaurant was allowing people to go into the lobby of the building. The resolution the council passed suspends dine-in services and mandates restaurants can only serve via takeout, drive-through or delivery.
Church’s remains open.
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